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U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

June 15, 2019

Matt Wallace

Pebble Beach, California

Q. Could you take us through your thinking after you made that putt on 18?
MATT WALLACE: I set myself a target and after the double bogey on 9 to try and shoot level par. Didn't play great, was miles away from the hole all the time but massive grind until great putt on the par 5. And then on the last I just had to try and hit two great shots and I did. And then holed the putt and just showed some emotion there, because I held myself together really well today is and playing with Brooks who was playing really well. Yeah, it was tough. That was emotional. I was really happy to achieve what I wanted to achieve.

Q. Do you think you have a chance going into tomorrow? What do you think is going to win this one?
MATT WALLACE: I didn't think I had a chance going into today. The whole thing is for the bigger picture. I need to try and set a standard at majors, trying to play the best I can. And trying to play with Brooks -- I never played with Brooks before. That's one ticked off. I'll see what I've got tomorrow and try to play better.

Q. What are you working on your swing right now?
MATT WALLACE: Just quite simply take away to the top and my downswing starts normally there (indicating), so I'm trying to reroute it and start down. We've been doing that for the last month or so and it's been going well.

Q. (No microphone.)
MATT WALLACE: Yeah, proud. But it's hard. It was hard for me, because I wasn't playing great. And then I wanted to impress and play well with Brooks. I set myself a target and I hit it and that was -- I was so proud to hit my target.

Q. G-Mac was saying that hanging around tomorrow is important?
MATT WALLACE: Yeah, kind of. I've got my target. I'm playing some good stuff. I need to know how many bogeys or double bogeys I had today. I'm swinging it good. I'm hitting it nice. I'm holing the putts well. All I've got to do is do my thing tomorrow, one more day here at Pebble. I've enjoyed every single day here, even the practice rounds. It's another major ticked off and hopefully I can give it a good go tomorrow.

Q. You mentioned Brooks a few times, is he intimidating to play with?
MATT WALLACE: He is when he hits it a hundred yards past you. That one on 10 is just crazy. He took it on that lower right side and I managed to keep up with him on 14. So I was happy with that. And then knocked a 3-iron past him -- I think he had a 4-iron there, so be it. No, he's a strong player. I've played with plenty of them. But he's a really strong player. Best player in the world at the moment, really. So I wasn't really concentrating too much. I was trying to get my targets and my goals after being pretty down after nine holes. I did that. I held myself together and I can give myself a big pat on the back for that.

Q. To get 4-under, you can't take two people off the top of the leaderboard, but you never know if they can come back. You're three off the lead if you can wipe those two off?
MATT WALLACE: Yeah, if I can try and beat my best record in a major, that would be nice. Tied third. If I can finish third outright that would be nice. But I can't control any of that. What I'm trying to control is my emotions, my attitude, my game plan. And that's what you've got to do. I'm still trying to learn my trade at majors and I've done a pretty good job so far with the new game plan and stuff. Missed cut at the Masters. I didn't do what I needed to do there. It wasn't looking good after nine holes here and to give myself coming in, I'm 4-under, that's a pretty good achievement for me today.

Q. You said it was an emotional finish for you. How are you going to wind down and mentally recharge for the round tomorrow?
MATT WALLACE: I'm not sure. I'm going to leave it up to my girlfriend where we're going to go eat. But it's the same stuff. Just repeat it. I've got the same people around me from here as I did at PGA. So we're going to go into that tomorrow with a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of drive and if I can play shots like I did on 18, I mean I played three perfect shots. I've got it in there somewhere and I need to try to build on that for tomorrow and knock a few of them off.

Q. I was just talking to Henrik, to finish the way that you finished, to walk off with an eagle, we were talking to Graeme who did the same thing.
MATT WALLACE: Did he? I thought I was going to be the only one. Shame.

Q. You've got competition.
MATT WALLACE: Yeah.

Q. Talk about what it was like to finish that way?
MATT WALLACE: I was playing nicely on the back nine. I was playing a lot better than I did on the front. And I was 2-over and obviously my goal was to try to get back to level. I hit a great drive that went around the corner and I was a yard away from where I was yesterday. I knew the shot. I knew the distance and a bit more wind into so I went long yesterday. I was quite comfortable to hit the same shot and I did and I pulled it off.

And the putt, I've been working hard on my left-to-right putts. And to knock it straight over my spot and roll it in, that was the emotion that came out. I've done that a few times when I've won, but it was my goal -- that was my goal today was to shoot level par after I was 3-over through nine. And I did that, and that was why I gave it the emotion that I did.

Q. Is that the shot you'll sleep on?
MATT WALLACE: Well, I can always say I eagled the 18th at Pebble Beach on Saturday in a major. So I can take confidence from everything I've done there. And take confidence, as well, from grinding back from 3-over par in a major tournament, as well.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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